- Friday, May 23: The team released a 3-sentence “update” from general manager Peter Chiarelli, in which he announced that left wings Chris Kelly and Milan Lucic had undergone surgery. “Both players,” the update concluded, “are expected to be ready for the start of training camp.”

Kelly’s surgery, to repair a herniated disk in his back, was expected: Unable to play after sustaining the injury in an April 8 game at Minnesota, he told reporters during Break-Up Day on May 16 that he would be having an operation.

Lucic didn’t know at Break-Up Day that he’d need surgery on his left wrist, but he didn’t hide the fact that he’d injured it early in Game 7 against the Canadiens. Wearing a soft cast on his wrist at Break-Up Day, he said an MRI had been scheduled.

- Thursday, May 24: Reacting to the official announcement that assistant general manager Jim Benning had been named GM in Vancouver, Chiarelli and team president Cam Neely issued complimentary and congratulatory statements on the team’s website. Chiarelli’s statement added that “we will look internally and externally to replace that position.”

It had become only a matter of time before Benning, whom Chiarelli hired roughly a year after taking over as Bruins’ GM in the summer of 2006, got a No. 1 job. He had interviewed for other vacancies, most recently those in Buffalo (he worked there for 12 years before joining the B’s) and Washington.

Benning’s responsibilities centered more on the pro side (trades, free agent signings, etc.), while Don Sweeney, Chiarelli’s other assistant GM, has focused more on prospect development: He’s a regular presence at AHL Providence, where he still gets on the ice to work with players, and he sets up and runs the Bruins’ annual development camp for drafted and potential prospects.

A member of Chiarelli’s staff since the summer of 2006, Sweeney has also been given permission to interview for jobs outside Boston. He has reportedly interviewed for the vacancy in Washington.